Swimming-mitt.



PATENTED OCT. 27, 1903.

H. W. JOHNSON. SWIMMING MITT. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Fluueufoz (9(176 mm "ma-s prrcns co rucraurwo. wumusvon, ac.

No. 742,440. Patented October 27, 1903.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

HARRY W. JOHNSON, OF LIMA, OHIO.

SWIM M l-NG-M lT'T.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters m an 742,440, dated. October 27, 1903.

Application filed February 10, 1903 Serial No. 142,700. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern: posite the fingers to be pressed close there-- Be it known that I, HARRY W. JOHNSON, a about, producing the plexus efiect shown in citizen of the United States, residing at Lima, Fig. l. The air is exhausted from the mitt in the county of Allen and State of Ohio, have by doubling up the hand and pressing the 5 invented certain new and useful Improve parts of themitt close together or in any conments in Swimming-Mitts,of which the followvenient way. To remove the mitt, it must be ing is a specification. stripped from the hand. A pair of mitts may This invention has relation to swimming be inflated and joined by a cord and may be appliances chiefly designed for the hand, beused to buoy up a'person by passing the cord [0 ing a mitt of light material-such as rubber, or connection beneath the arms.

oil-silk, or waterproof textileand of ample While the device is designed most espesize to form webs between the fingers of :the cially for the hand, it is obvious that it may hand when stretched or spread to their utmost be used as a buoy to-sustain the person. In capacity. this application the mitt is inflated, the wrist IS The mitt is approximately of pear form and end being secured by means of a cord to conis provided at the small end with a wristband fine the air, and is attached to the body to be of rubber to form a tight joint about the wrist, buoyed in the most advantageous and conso as to exclude air and water, this being es- Venient way. sential to the proper formation of the webs Having thus described the invention, what 20 between the fingers of the hand when the mitt is claimed as new is is in position thereon. 1. A swimming appliance to be fitted to the The invention will be described more in dehand so as to embrace the fingers and form tail hereinafter and is shown in the aceompa- Webs therebetween, the same consisting of a nying drawings, in which-- mitt of light pliable material impervious to 2 5 Figure 1 is a detail view of a hand with the moisture and adapted to have its opposite mitten thereon, the fingers being spread or side portions pressed together by atmospheric extended. Fig. 2 is a. section about on the pressure, substantially as specified. line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of 2. Aswimming appliance to be fitted to the the mitt. hand so as to embrace the thumb and fingers 8o 30 Corresponding and like parts are referred and form webs therebetween, the same conto in the following description and indicated sisting ofa mitt of approximately pear-shaped in all the views of the drawings by the same having an elastic band at the small end to reference characters. close the mitt about the wrist, said mitt being The mitt lis preferably constructed of thin formed of impervious material and adapted 5 rubber, although oil-silk or waterproof texto have its opposite sides pressed together by tile may be the material from which it is atmospheric pressure, substantially as speci- 4 formed, and it is of pear shape and of such fied. dimensions as to provide webs between the 3. An article of manufacture, a swimmingfingers of the hand when worn thereon and mitt of light rubber of approximately pear- 9o 0 the air is exhausted. An elastic band 2 is shaped, and having its small end reinforced provided at the small end of the mitt to close and adapted to close tight about the wrist, the same'tight about the wrist without inthe mitt being adapted to fit close about the jurious pressure thereon. It is preferred to fingers and to form webs therebetween due to construct the mitt of light rubber,which gives atmospheric pressure on opposite sides there- 5 45 to the webs a certain amount of elasticity, of, substantially as described.

thereby materially assisting the swimmer. In testimony whereof I affix my signature The mitt is slipped upon thehand, after in presence of two witnesses. which the fingers are spread or separated and HARRY W. JOHNSON. [L. s.] the air exhausted from the mitt. This causes Witnesses: 50 the opposite parts of the mitt between the fin- J. W. MORVEN,

gers to come close together and the parts op- J NO. TYLER. 

